Mouthguards used for athletic activity are typically formed of plastic or rubber and engage a user's upper and lower teeth to keep the guard in position. In order to provide a secure fit between the mouthguard and the user's teeth, the mouthguard is imprinted with the wearer's tooth impression. This is commonly done in one of two ways. One inexpensive mouthguard, known as the “boil-and-bite” mouthguard, is partially custom fit by forming a mouthguard blank from a thermoplastic material that is softened at high temperatures and accepts the impression of the wearer's teeth while hot. A fully custom-formed mouthguard may be obtained through one or more appointments with dentist or other dental professional. During the appointments, an impression of the wearer's teeth is molded into plaster. The resulting mold is sent to as manufacturer to produce a mouthguard with a permanent tooth pattern that ensures a sturdy fit in the wearer's mouth. Additional fit adjustments may be performed during follow-up appointments with the dental professional
The traditional methods of providing mouthguards are inadequate. Boil-and-bite mouthguards provide an inexpensive, easily formed mouthguard. However, they can be difficult to mold properly because of the properties of the material and the high temperature of the mouthguard when it is inserted for molding. This difficulty often leads to a poor fit for the mouthguard in the athlete's mouth. When the steps are performed incorrectly, the hot material can irritate and even burn the user's lips and gum tissue. Moreover, re-boiling the mouthguard can lead to permanent degradation in the performance of the mouthguard, making a miscasting a potentially costly mistake. Custom-formed mouthguards from a dental professional lack reasonable convenience for the casual athletic competitor; requiring one or more appointments to the dental professional's office. Then, the user rarely leaves the office with a complete product, which must be later mailed to the user, or retrieved from the dental professional, after the mouthguard is manufactured. One of the most significant drawbacks to the custom-formed mouthguards, however, is that they can be quite expensive; costing $100 or more. This price point is not an option for many youth participants or more casual athletic competitors.